[RightWhale]

Ed Dames said China will become the dominant superpower fairly soon by purely economic means and won't have to fire a shot.

[Jeff Head]

The are headed that way...but I believe we still have the opportunity to forestall and prevent it. We would need the will as a people, and then the will of leaders, like a Reagan, to treat their government as he did the Soviets in the 80s. It would be very difficult, but it is not too late, IMHO.

We may not be able to avoid conflict with them to some degree at this point...but it will be much, much worse if we wait. In any case, even if they do continue their economic rise without abate, that will lead to confrontation as they expand their sphere of influence and seek to ensure and vouchsafe their sea lane access to resources.